Travel

But it’s my Birthday Weekend

January 19, 2015 By Caroline Peterson

“I figured we’d do Thai for dinner Saturday and then brunch on Sunday.”

It’s like the hubster knows me or something, to plan a birthday weekend around delicious food. He probably also regretted making a whole weekend of it because that was my excuse for everything.

“Can you turn up the air conditioning? It’s my birthday weekend!”

“Can you scratch my back? But it’s my birthday weekend!”

“Will you refill my water? It’s my birthday weekend!”

Friday after work, heÂ surprised me when coworkers met us for dinner and drinks at one of our favorite watering holes in downtown Ft. Lauderdale. I’m pretty happy I getÂ to work with such fun people.

Somebody put balloons in my face... — Somebody put balloons in my face…

Saturday we lazed around, laughed about the multiple sets of Elton John tickets we accidentally got for my birthday, researched activities for our July adventure (details coming soon!) and watched Gone Girl. Um. How do I put this lightly? That chick was nuts!

I opened a very sweet gift from one of my girlfriends that I’m still smiling about. She enclosed a touchingÂ note and I’m a sucker for good writers. I’m so happy to have close girlfriends in my life.

Speaking of close girlfriends, Facetiming is always welcome in our household, even if we’re in our PJ’s with greasy hair on a Saturday night. I love that my girlfriends Facetime from our favorite hole-in-the-wall bar in Michigan. They are the best.

Sunday we got up to run 9.5 miles and only completed 6.5. Again, after hitting 3 miles I had a hard time breathing. I felt like I couldn’t catch my breath fully, as if my lungs aren’t working 100% yet. I tried to distract myself by taking photos of the beautiful route we run.

But, towards mile 5 I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. And I started to get worked up, talking to my husband about how we’re never going to be able to complete a half marathon in less than a month. Negative self-talk is really something I need to work on. He was good about keeping the reality of the situation, “We’ll just keep at it, do what you can.”

I reminded myself of #wycwyc again and calmed down. We got through 6.5, which is more than last weekend. Â But truth be told, I’m very worried. I’m not sure I’ll even beat my time from last year and just over a month ago, I was well on my way to smashing that time. I just feel a bit defeated right now.

What you can. When you can. What you can. When you can.

To forget that awful run, the hubster surprised me with brunch at a place I’ve been dying to try since we moved here:Â Blue Moon Fish Company.

Side note: I’M CELEBRATING MY BIRTHDAY OUTSIDE! (That’s crazy-talk for this former Michigander.)

It was delicious. I basically just got all seafood.Â Read: crab legs, shrimp, sushi, ceviche…rinse and repeat.

Normally brunch buffets can be hit or miss and this, my friends, was a hit.

Bad run aside, the whole weekend was spot on. I’m fortunate to be surrounded by such love in my life. The hubster nailed my birthday.

Help Choose our Next Adventure for July

January 11, 2015 By Caroline Peterson

Med school complicates everything, including having any control over our schedule.

Our wedding? The hubster had to move mountains toÂ find out the schedule for the following semester so we could, you know, plan our nuptials. We never got a final answer and took a guess. A good guess! (Not joking…)
Honeymoon? Didn’t know what his break schedule would be until, you know, theÂ week the Fall semester began.
Holidays together? HA. Hahahahahahahaha.

So, when we actually knew he would have a break in July 2015, my type-A-planner-little-heart burst with joy! WE CAN PLAN OUR NEXT ADVENTURE NOW!

This is where YOU come in.

In general, we know we want to head back to SE Asia. We fell in love with Cambodia. We liked Thailand as well, but something about Cambodia pulled at our hearts. So, I think we want to head back and explore another city and then more countries in SE Asia.

My intention is to use miles toÂ flyÂ (hopefully in ourÂ first lie-flat seats). Nearly all our major miles are withÂ Delta and it has a pretty good hold on the Asian region for flight options. I also want to use my points for hotels and spend as little as possible in other off-the-beaten-path guesthouses. Read: $5 a night. Nope. Not joking.

All thatÂ said, I’m not opposed to hearing from you about otherÂ places to explore.

South Korea. China. Japan. Hong Kong. Australia. Colombia. South Africa. Morocco. Czech Republic. Turkey. The Netherlands. France.Â MyÂ list goes on…

Ultimately, the decision will be ours. I gave my husband a deadline of mid-January to let me know where we should go and I’ll make all the plans and arrangements. That’s the fun part!

But I want to hear what YOU think.

Keep in mind we’re not luxury travelers. We like a nice combination of “roughing it” and splurging on an exotic day-trip or a nice night in a hotel with a great bar on the roof overlooking the night skyline. We probably won’t travel with more than a carry-on/backpack. We ideally would have 2 weeks to work with.

Now it’s your turn:

What other countries do you think we should consider?
Where would you recommend to goÂ in SE Asia?Â
Where have youÂ gone and would you recommend?Â

Once our decision is made, I’ll post it here to begin the planning festivities. Grab your partyÂ pants and get them ironed, you guys. This is going to be fun!

More smiling pics like this to come! Railay Beach, Thailand — More smiling pics like this to come!
Railay Beach, Thailand

Off to the Frozen, Cold Tundra

December 23, 2014 By Caroline Peterson

I live here.

I’m going here.

My family owes me.

Tomorrow I’m offÂ for the frozen, cold tundra of Minneapolis. It will be a quick trip, but one that was deemed appropriate since we didn’t have plans andÂ the hubster is on-call on Christmas. Plus, Christmas alone with my ginger cat didn’t sound as appealing as spending it with THIS little nugget.

Oh yeah and I needed just a few more MQDs to make my Delta status for next year.

Love you, family!

Last night I asked the hubster where all our sweaters were. No, I’m not joking. These are very foreign objects in South Florida. He pulled out a box of his from under the bed of all his sweaters, you know, that have yet to be worn. After fumbling through them we determined I must have donated all my sweaters because, you know, I don’t wear them. It was a ploy to never live in a cold state again. Shhhhh.

So layers for me! Weeeee.

Flying on Christmas Eve isn’t ideal, but I have a non-stop flight andÂ I’m well prepared because I know How To Survive Holiday Travel. The holiday travel Gods liked me enough to get me upgraded for my flight already!

jlawrence

Did you see the TSA even got in the holiday spirit with this hilarious video? When government organizations can make fun of themselves, I call that a win.

I’m looking forward to quality family time, but I also can’t wait to get back and celebrate a belated Christmas with the hubster. He’s sort of my favorite.

To all my friends and family near and far: safe travels and I hope you have a wonderful holiday!

How to Survive Holiday Travel

November 26, 2014 By Caroline Peterson

I’m traveling over the Thanksgiving holiday (NOT the Wednesday before, see below) and I figured I’d give you a few tips to make it through the mind-numbing process of waiting for someone to put their overpacked carry-on in sideways into the overhead bin.

How to SurviveÂ Holiday Travel

(without wanting to gouge your eyes out)

1. Avoid the busiest travel days

Unless you enjoy amateur hour, don’t travel the day before Thanksgiving or the day before Christmas Eve. People are trying to get the most bang for their buck with their time off and it shows. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest day at airports all year. You’ll also often find that the Sunday after Thanksgiving and Christmas are incredibly busy too. I’m flying out super early on ThanksgivingÂ to Vegas,Â to arrive just in time to squeeze these cheeks.

Then, I’m taking a red-eye back to Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday evening. Sure, it’s not ideal. But I get a better chance of an upgrade with less people clamoring for seats and I’ll be home to see my hubby for longer. (Yes, I plan trips on upgrade potential.) Plus, I avoid the larger crowds and it’s often cheaper. Win-win.

2. Carry-on only

You can do it. I promise. Even if you’re gone for an entire week, you can do it. I will write a post about how I packed a carry-on for 2 weeks forÂ Thailand & Cambodia soon.

How to Survive Holiday Travel — That’s my blue backpack/carry-on behind me in Tokyo-Narita Airport on the way to Bangkok, Thailand.

But in the mean time, grab some of my favorite eBags packing cubes and go at it. You’ll save time at baggage claim and more importantly, you’re forced to pack less and therefore have less to lug around.

3. Get to the airport early

My flight leaves at 6:45 am on Thanksgiving. WeÂ live about 15 minutes from Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport. It’s REALLY tempting to take advantage of that. That said, my anxiety prevents me from ever living on the edge and leaving for the airport late. I will try to get to the airport no later than 5:30 am. I have Global Entry, which also includes TSA Pre-check so if security is a breeze andÂ I have a lot of time to kill, I’ll grab a ~~Bloody Mary~~ Starbucks.

4. Find your happy place

See above. Starbucks is a great bribe to get me to the airport early. Similarly, if you have a long layover, check out the airport prior to leaving and scope out any place that may interest you. Somehow my nose always heads to the local watering hole, but airports have tons of things to do now. San Francisco Airport even offers yoga!

5. Remain calm

Don’t be the asshole yelling at flight attendants when things go wrong. Do you honestly think that will get you anywhere? And more importantly, do you want to be that guy? We’re all in this together. No one actually likes flying. Okay except me. I sort of love flying. Keep your cool, find your zen place and chill the hell out. More than likely you aren’t the only one delayed or inconvenienced. A crazy thought, right?

Fun side story: On my way back from JFK to FLL this September, I got upgraded. (SCORE!) I watched a lady with her toddler board the plane very last and in a rush. She was incensedÂ that there wasn’t enough room for her baggage left in First Class. She took it out on the flight attendant and inferred that we all did this to her on purpose. Yes, lady, I specifically chose this precise flight because I knew you’d be on it and I wanted to take up “your” overhead space. Her poor son was being quite fussy, as kids get on planes, and she was on the struggle bus trying to calm him down. I felt bad for her, but the thing was, she was such a wretched person to all of us, including the flight attendant, that none of us offered to help. When the FA asked if I wanted another glass of wine (The answer is always, duh) he asked if he could have some of mine too and then moved his eyes towards the nasty lady. Ha! I feel like we could have done shots together in the galley… But, I digress. Just don’t be a jerk!

6. Bring entertainment

I bring a fully charged: iPad, iPad keyboard, iPhone and IV of caffeine. My iPad has all the books I have from the Kindle app and if push comes to shove, I’ll buy a trashy magazine. Only if push comes to shove though… I’m also a big people watcher, you can see a lot of funny shit just by watching people. Okay. That sounded creepy.

7. Don’t get hangry

Hungry + Frustrated + Hungry + Large Crowds = Angry. Hangry. The hubster has called me a squirrel because I bring nuts on long trips. If it prevents Hangry Caroline from emerging, I think he should count his blessings. amiright? I usually toss a couple granola bars in for good measure. Airport food can be awful. But granola bars and beer can be glorious.

So those are some thingsÂ I’ve learned fromÂ years ofÂ traveling. Probably most important though, just remember how lucky you are to be flying and enjoy the view. Even if it’s for a brief moment.

Hasta luego, Ft. Lauderdale! â¤ï¸

A photo posted by Caroline (@carolinemadethis) on Aug 8, 2014 at 5:36am PDT

Have I missed anything? Â Are you traveling this holiday and what do you guys use to survive?

Edinburgh, Scotland: Part 4 – Arthur’s Seat & The Ghost Tour

November 4, 2014 By Caroline Peterson

Last year,Â we traveledÂ to Edinburgh, Scotland for a quick mini-moon after our wedding in Somerset, England. We spent 4 days exploring old castles, climbing rolling hills and of course, sharing some Scottish whiskey with friends. I want to keep each part of these Trip Reports as short and sweet (and maybe picture-filled) as I can, so you can easily pick out the major details.

This Part 4Â in a series about our trip to Scotland. Â Stay tuned for more.

Edinburgh, Scotland – Â Trip Report Index

Part 1 -Â Planning & Introduction

Part 2Â -Â Flight & Accommodation

Part 3Â -Â Edinburgh Castle & The Whiskey Tour

Part 4Â – Arthur’s Seat & The Ghost Tour

Part 5Â -Â St. Andrews, Castle Course

Part 6Â -Â Conclusion

Arthur’s Seat

Arthur’s Seat (as in King Arthur, from King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table) is part of the large and gorgeous, Holyrood Park. Arthur’s Seat is often mentioned as one of the possible locations for Camelot.Â It’s less than a mile from Edinburgh Castle and you can just walk the Royal Mile to get there!

You’ll pass Parliament.

Then,Â Holyrood HouseÂ (say hello to the Queen for me, she often stays there).

And in no time you’ll be at the bottom of this beautiful extinct volcano.

The first time my newbie-hubster and I tried the trek up Arthur’s Seat, we only made it a little over half-way up. Remember how friggin’ sick I was? Yeah, it’s sort of hard to breathe with no functioning nostrils when you’re hiking.

After we left and had a few pints of Guinness, I was feeling bummed we didn’t go all the way.

Huh, huh. Go all the way…

So when my friend, Phil (affectionately called Philbert) said he wanted to try it the next day, we were totally up for tackling it again. This guy has hiked the Inca Trail in Peru to Machu Picchu!

Soooooo, basically, they were waiting for my sick assÂ to catch up a lot.

But we made it!

It’s a really fun memory for me. I can’t tell you how much it fills my heart to travel and discover things with friends. This trek meant a lot.

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The Ghost Tour

Have I ever talked about how I don’t “do” haunted houses or haunted corn mazes or haunted…anything. I love scary movies, but “real life” experiences? NO THANKS. Edinburgh is known for it’s scary tales, haunted alleys and ghostly folklore.

So, what I’m trying to say is, Â I have 1Â picture of this tour. Mostly because I drank enough to make myself feel pretty okay to go on itÂ (excellent coping skills, Caroline) and also because most of it is in the dark, underground, in freakin’ haunted vaults. Therefore, picture taking was not encouraged.

ghost tour edinburgh — Here’s my ghost hunter pal, Jill. She’s acting like she enjoys being scared.

What I can say is that I had a fun time. (Thanks, pints ofGuinness!) This is something you should definitely do with friends as it made the whole tour a lot more fun and full of immature giggles.Â (Thanks again, pints of Guinness!)

Caroline, Devorah, Philbert, Jill, Steve, Newbie-Hubster

There are several ghost tours you can take in Edinburgh. I would recommend the Mercat Tours as that’s the one we did. But you honestly can’t go wrong with most of them.

Next up, perhaps my favorite part of the trip – Seeing my newbie-hubster play a round at St. Andrew’s.

Until next time, travel buds!

Got Travel Questions? Give ’em to me.

October 28, 2014 By Caroline Peterson

We interrupted the regularly scheduled #TravelTuesday post for a special announcement. I’m going to mix things up a little.

Don’t worry, the details about traveling to Scotland will continueÂ in no time.

You may not realize it, but I’mÂ sent a lot of questions about traveling. So, I know you kiddos are reading and that’s freakin’ awesome! But, I want to open the forum for any of you shy guys and gals who may be nervous to send me a personal message. Knowing what you’re curious about or what you’d like to see more of is a huge benefit for me and also for any readers who may have the same thoughts.

It can be anything! I love sharing any and all information about travel.

I’m usually anÂ open book with traveling because, without trying to sound completely smug, I truly believe traveling is one of the most enriching things you can do in your life.

Ask me any travel questions:

Do you want to know how I pack a carry-on for 2 weeks?

How about the best thing to do in Chiang Mai, Thailand?

How do I get over jet lag?

Want to know what my favorite travel-size products are?

How do I know how to nab good seats on a flight?

Curious as to what’s next on my travel bucket list?

Do I wash my bras in the hotel sink and hang them on the curtain rod to dry, horrifying housekeeping?

What? Too far?

Ask me whatever is on your mind when it comes to traveling.

Tell me what you’d like to see more of in travel-related posts.

Post those questionsÂ in the comments below and I’ll answer them directly or, if you’re lucky, write a lovely post for my response. You could be FAMOUS. Until next time, travel pals!

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